As electronic devices become more portable and valuable, theft of such electronic devices has simultaneously become problematic. Currently there are limited options for deterring theft of electronic devices. Physical locks, similar to bicycle locks, exist for laptop computers. However, the physical locks are burdensome to use, which may explain why so many people have such physical locks but do not actually use them on a regular basis. In addition, these physical locks can easily be cut, and in any event the locks only work if there is something secure to connect the physical lock to.
Another existing security option is password protection. Personal digital assistants (PDAs) and laptops typically use such protection. However, given sufficient time and the right software, a thief may eventually break through such protection. For example, the thief may simply reload the operating system to bypass and/or redefine the user-ID and password.
Regardless of the security precautions taken, there is currently no satisfactory way to rent an electronic device and to control how long the renting user may operate the device. Even with password protection, the user may decide not to return the device.